Aerosol valve assembly



Nov. 17, 1959 c. o. KUFFER AEROSOL vALi/'E ASSEMBLY 2 sheets-'sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1955 Nov. 17, 1959 c. o, Kur-FER mosol. VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1955 United States Patent O AERosoL VALVE ASSEMBLY Clarence O. Kuffer, Niles, Ill., assignor to Aerosol Research Company, a corporation of Illinois Application November 7, 1955, Serial No. 545,160 9 Claims. (c1. zzz- 513) vThis invention relates to an aerosol valve assembly comprising a self-sealing unit adapted to control the. dis-` charge of various types of products, such as solutions,5 suspensions, emulsions, dry powders, and mixtures of more than one phase, from containers in the form of a spray or a foam.

The container may be filled under pressure, or may*y Y dispensing tip which may be interchanged with a similar.

tip to discharge the contents of the container either jin'A the form of a spray or as foam,- depending upon the, nature of the product in the container.

The valve assembly of the present invention comprises-` a mounting cup having a sealing gasket positioned adjacent the underside of its top. The mounting cup and,"

gasket are provided with aligned apertures through whichY the valve stem is inserted. A shell secured to the mount-r` ing cup with its open top engaging the underside of the"z gasket provides a housing for a spring pressed sealing cup' also having its open top engaging the underside of' thef gasket. The lower end of the valve stem fits into the' sealing cup. The inner wall surface of the sealing cup; and the outer surface of the lower end of the valve stem' are tapered to assure surface to surface contact between"` them when pressure is applied against the dispensing tip;i

The valve stem is integral with the dispensing tip and" will break the seal between the upper edge of the sealing'Y cup and the gasket upon application of either downwardI or lateral pressure to the tip. The outer surface of the lower end of the valve stern is provided with one or morej grooves through which the material from the container,v flows to reach the passageway within the valve stem when" the seal between the sealing cup and the gasket is broken.` The tapered surface contact between the sealing cupY and the valve stem assures control of the rate of flow through the groove in the valve stem despite possible dimensional variation which may result from necessary f manufacturing tolerances, or the possibility of dimen sional changes which may result from physical or chemi cal action by the contents of the container upon' the materials of construction of the component parts of the valve assembly. The cross sectional area of the grooves determines the rate of discharge from the terminal opening in the tip. It is obvious that a dispensing tip designed to discharge the contents as a foam will have grooves of greater cross sectional area than a spray dispensing tip.

- 'Ihe shell is provided adjacent its upper edge with a peripheral bead, and the hub of the mountingcup is single u nitin whichY the upper edge of shell -11 is heldv Mice crimped inwardly under the bead to hold `the'upper end of the shell against the gasket. nipple depending from its bottom, and a Siphon tube 1s fitted inside the nipple to provide maximum security against accidental displacement or failure of the Siphon tube. The siphon tube may be omitted from contalners adapted to be discharged only in an inverted position.

The structure by which the above mentioned and other' advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a can provided with an aerosol valve assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of a valve assembly adapted to be mounted on a can;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing the valve in dispensing position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing the lower end portion of the valve stem;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing vthe mounting cup designed for use on a bottle;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a tip adapted to discharge the contents of the container as a foam;

Fig. 8 is a detailv end View showing lthe front of the discharge end of the tip of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the j lower end portion of the valve stem of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a mounting cup having a depending peripheral flange 3 adapted to be sealed tothe upper edge of an opening in the top of a can 4. A suitable sealing composition 5 is applied to the inner surface of the mounting cup adjacent flange 3. The specific shape of the mounting cup is not critical, since the mounting cup may be designed to fit any specific can or similar container. In the embodiment illustrated, the mounting cup is provided With a center hub having a -substantially vertical wall 6 and a flat top wall 7. Top wall 7 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 8. A sealing gasket 9 is positioned adjacent the underside of `fiat top wall 7 and is provided with an aperture 10 aligned with aperture 8 but slightly smaller in diameter.

A tubular shell 11, having an open top and a peripheral bead 12 adjacent its upper edge, is dimensioned to tit within the hub of mounting cup 2. The bottom wall 13 of shell lll is provided with a central aperture 14 and a nipple 15 depending from the edge of wall 13 dening the aperture. A Siphon tube 16 fits within nipple 15 and extends to a point spaced lslightly above the bottom of can 4. Tube 16 may be secured to the outer surface of nipple 15, if desired. The inner wall surfaces of shell 11 are provided with ribs 17, and a coiled spring 18 is positioned within the shell. Ribs 17 space spring 18 from the wall surfaces of the shell to prevent a sealing contact between the spring and the shell. A sealing cup 19 is seated within spring 18 and at its upper edge is pro-vided with a lateral flange 19 adapted to seat on the uppermost coil of the spring. The inner wall surface of cup 19 is tapered, as indicated at 20, for a purpose hereinafter described.

After spring 18 and sealing cup l9'have been properly positioned in shell 11, the shell is placed in the hub of mounting cup 2 with the upper edge of the shell pressed into sealing engagement with the underside of gasket 9. The vertical wall 6 of the mounting cup is crimped in- Wardly under bead `12, as indicated at 21, to form a Patented Nov. 17, 1959- The shell has a tubular in sealing engagement with gasket 9 by the crimp 21, and the upper edge of cup 19 is held in sealing engagement with the gasket by spring 18.

A spray tip 22 comprises a top wall 23:and adepending skirt Z4. Top wall 23 is inclined and a portion of its upper surface is serrated, as indicated atv 25, to facilitate the application of finger pressure laterally or downwardly against the tip when can 4 is held ina persons hand. A tubular valve stem 26 depends from the underside of top wall 23. Stem 26 extends below the lower edge of skirt 24 and is dimensioned to tit within apertures 8 and y10. Aperture i@ is slightly smaller than aperture 8 and gasket 9 snugly hugs the outer surface of stem 26. The lower end portion of valve stem 26, which extends into sealing cup 19, is tapered, as indicated at 27. Tapers and 27 are complementary and provide a surface to surface contact between the lower end portion of valve stem 26 and the inner wall surface of sealing cup 19 which is engaged* by the valve. stem.

A longitudinal groove 29 is provided in the outer surface of the lower end portion of stem 26. The lower end of groove 29 terminates in a transverse notch Silextending through the wall surface of valve stem 26 to provide a metering channel through which the'contents of the container ilow when the seal between the upper edge of cup E9 and gasket 9 is broken by downward orV lateral pressure applied against the top of spray tip 22. Groove 291 extends nearly to the underside of gasket 9 so that the metering channel is open for the flow of contents from can 4 as soon as the seal between cup 19 and gasket 9 is broken. Valve stem '26 has a longitudinal passageway 3l extending almost to top wall 23 of the spray tip, and a restricted oriiice 32 extends laterally from the top of passageway 3l to an enlarged discharge opening 33 provided in one side of the spray tip;

When nger pressure is applied downwardly against top wall 23, the bottom edge of vaive stem 26 forces cup 19 downwardly against the action of spring 18 to break the seal between the upper edge of cup i9 and gasket 9. The pressure forces the contents of can 4 upwardly through siphon tube i6. around the upper edge of cup I9 and upwardly through passageway 3i. The contents are atomized as they are forced through restricted orice 32. The same action follows a lateral displacement of spray tip 22 except that the seal is not broken around the entire circumference of the upper edge of cup 19.

The embodiment of Fig.'6 is the same as in Figs. l to 5, except that the mounting cup 34. is shaped differently. Accordingiy, identical structure wiil be indicated by the same reference numerals and the description will not be repeated. Mounting cup 34 has a centrally raised boss provided with a crimp 35' to `hold shell il in place. Mounting cup 3d is provided with a depending skirt 36 long enough to permit its lower edge to be crimped under a lateral bead provided on the bottle or other container with which the embodiment of Fig. 6 is adapted to be used.

The embodiment of Figs. 7 to 9 is the same as that of Figs. 1 to 5 except that a foam tip 37 is substituted for the spray tip 22. The only essential Vdiierence between foam tip 37 and spray tip 22. is that the foam tip does not have any restricted orifice 32 and the foam discharge opening 38 is larger in diameter than the passageway 39 which a uniform cross section throughout its length. Valve stem 4i) is also diierent in that it is provided with two or more grooves 4i, each of which is similar to groove 29.

The embodiments of Fig. 6 and Figs. '7 to 9 operate in exactly the same manner as the embodiment of Figs. l to 5.

While i have described a few preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is illustrative rather than restrictive, as many-detailsmay -be modied for' changed without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described.

I claim:

1. An aerosol valve assembly comprising a mounting cup having a top wall provided with an aperture and an apertured sealing gasket positioned adjacent the underside of said top wall, a shell having an open top held against said sealing gasket, a coiled compression spring seated in said shell, a sealing cup seated in said spring, the inner wall surface of said sealing cup being tapered, the upper edge of said sealing cup being held in sealing engagement with said gasket by said spring, and a dispensing tip having a tubular valve stem extending through the apertures of said top wall and said gasket to engage said sealing cup, said valve stem being tapered below said gasket to conform to the taper of said sealing cup, said valve stem having a longitudinal meteringgroove in theV outer surface thereof adjacent tothe lower end thereof and being operable by finger pressure to displace said sealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket,

2. An aerosol valve assembly comprising a mounting cup having a top wall provided with an aperture and van apertured sealing gasket positioned adjacent the under-Y side of said top wall, a shell having an open top held against said sealing gasket, a coiled compression spring positioned in said shell, a sealing cup seated in said spring, the upper edge of said sealing cup being held in sealing engagement with said gasket by said spring, and a dispensing tip having a tubular valve stern provided with a longitudinal meteringgroove in its lower end portion, said lower end portion of said valve stem extending through the apertures of said top wall and said gasket into said sealing cup, the inner wall surfaces of said sealing cup and the peripheral surface of the lower end of said valve stem each having complementary tapers to insure surface to surface contact to provide precise control of material adapted to flow through said metering groove into said valve stem when said sealing cup isrrdisplaced from sealing engagement with said gasket.

3. An aerosol valve assembly comprising a mounting cup having a top wall provided with an aperture and an' apertured sealing gasket positioned adjacent the underg side of said top wall, a shell having an open top held against saidsealing gasket, Va coiled compression spring positioned in said shell, a sealing cup seated in said spring, the upper edge of said sealing cup being held in sealing engagement with said gasketby said spring, and a dispensing tip having a tubular valve stern provided with a longitudinal metering groove in its lower end p0rtion, said lower end portion of said valve stem extend( ing through the apertures of said top wall and said gasket into said sealing cup, said valve stem being operable by finger pressure to displace said sealing cup from sealing' engagement with said gasket, the peripheral surfaceV of said lowerend portion Yof said valve stern having a4 taper, and the inner wall surface of said sealing cup adapted to be engaged by said tapered lower end portion of said valve stem having a complementary taper to provide precise control of material adapted to flow through said metering groove into said valve stem when said sealing cup is displaced from sealing engagement with said gasket.

4. In an aerosall valve assembly, a sealing gasket provided with an aperture, a sealing cup engaging the underside of saidk gasket, spring means holding said sea1- ing cup insealing engagement with said gasket, and a tubular valve stern projecting through said aperture into said cup, said valve stem being operable by the application of nger pressure thereon to displace said sealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket, the exterior of said stem engaging with the interior of the cup to prevent flow through said cup into said stem, the bottom of said stern and said cup defining therebetween :repassage for'uid and said stem having a longitudinal metering groove in its outer surface with the Aupper end of the groove terminating above the upper limit of engagement of said stem and said cup to permit material released by breaking of the seal between the `sealing cup and the gasket to ow through said valve stem.

5. In an aerosol valve assembly, a sealing gasket provided with an aperture, a sealing cup engaging the underside of said gasket, spring means holding said sealing cup in sealing engagement with said gasket, and a tubular valve stem projecting through said aperture into said cup7 the interengaging side wall surfaces ofsaid valve stem and said sealing cup each having a complementary taper, said valve stem being operable to displacesaid sealing cup from sealing engagementwith said gasket and having a longitudinal metering groove in its outer surface to permit material released by breaking of the seal between the sealing cup and the gasket to ow through said valve stem.

6. ln an aerosol valve assembly, a valve shell, a sealing gasket mounted in sealing engagement with said valve shell and provided with an aperture, a sealing cup disposed in said valve shell and engaging the underside of said gasket, a spring seated in said valve shell and urging said sealing cup into sealing engagement with said gasket, and a dispensing tip having a tubular valve stern projecting through said aperture into said cup, said valve stern being operable, upon application of finger pressure to said dispensing tip, to displace said ksealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket, said valve stem having a longitudinal metering groove in its outer surface to permit material released by breaking of the seal between said sealing cup and said gasket to ow through said valve stem, the upper end of said metering groove terminatin-gabove the uppermost point of engagement between said sealing cup and said valve stem.

7. In an aerosol valve assembly, a valve shell, a sealing gasket mounted in sealing engagement with said valve shell and provided with an aperture, a sealing cup disposed within said valve shell and engaging the underside of said gasket, a spring seated in said valve shell and urging said sealing cup into sealing engagement with said gasket, and a removable and replaceable dispensing tip having a tubular valve stem projecting through said aperture into said cup, the outer surface of said valve stem engaging the inner surface of said sealing cup, said valve stem being operable, upon application of nger pressure to said dispensing tip, to displace said sealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket, said valve stem having a longitudinal metering groove in its outer surface to permit material released by breaking of the seal between said sealing cup and said gasket to flow through said valve stem. v

8. In an aerosol valve assembly, a valve shell, a sealing gasket mounted in sealing engagement with said valve shell and provided with an aperture, a sealing cup disposed within said valve shell and engaging the underside of said gasket, a spring seated in said valve shell and urging said sealing cup into sealing engagement with said gasket, and a removable and replaceable dispensing tip having a tubular valve stem projecting through said aperture into said cup, the outer` surface of said valve stem engaging the inner surface of said sealing cup, said valve stem being operable, upon application of tinger pressure to said dispensing tip, to displace said sealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket, said valve stem having a longitudinal metering groove of substantially uniform cross-sectional area in its outer surface to permit material released by breaking of the seal between said sealing cup and said gasket to flow through said valve stem.

9. In an aerosol valve assembly, a valve shell, a sealing gasket mounted in sealing engagement with said valve shell and provided with an aperture, a sealing cup disposed within said valve shell and engaging the underside of said gasket, a spring seated in said valve shell and urging said sealing cup into a sealing engagement with said gasket, and a removable and replaceable dispensing tip having a tubular valvestem projecting through said aperture into said cup, the outer surface of said valve stem engaging the inner surface of said sealing cup, said valve stem being operable, upon application of nger pressure to said dispensing tip, to displace said sealing cup from sealing engagement with said gasket, said valve stem having a longitudinal metering groove in its outer surface to permit material released by breaking of the seal between said sealingV cup and said gasket to ow through said valve stem, and a transverse notch at one end of said valve stem to form a passage from said groove to the interior of said tubular valve stem.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

